Automobile steering connection and method of making the same



Oct- 27. 192s- F. P. PRINDLE AUTOMOBILE STEERING CONNECTION AND METHOD` OF MAKING THE SAME y Filed June 15. 1922 noautow m v www @www WN., Y WN Patented Oct. 27, 1925. i "i .'ERANK r. PEINDLE,

Y v l 15592452 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE. lf

AUTOMOBILE STEERING CONNECTION AND METHOD or MAKING TIIEsAME.' l` r Application filed June 15, 1922. Serial No. 568,412. i

To all wko/m, it may concern:

Be it known that'I, FRANK l?. PRINDLE, a 'citizen ofy theUnited States, a resident of New Britaim'in thelcounty of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automobile Steering Connections and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering connections for automobiles, and more particularly to the drag links and ball and socket arrangements thereof. The object of the invention is to) provide a structure of this sort which is simple in construction, economic in manufacture, andstrong, dum ble and efficient in use.

In the accompanying drawings, kwherein the'preferred embodiment of the invention is shown,- l

Figure 1 is a view `ofa steering connection in which-the improvements of the present invention are'incorporated; Y

Fig. 2 is a view of a drag link, the ball and socket arrangements on the ends thereof being in central longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through one end of the drag link, theremovable parts within the socket member thereof being omitted, and Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a spring employed in each of the ball and socket connections. i

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, which is merely disclosed to illustrate Vone application of the lpresent invention, a is the' steering post carrying at its lower endV a steering arm Z) provided with a ball' 0,'d, a connecting rod having a yoke member at each end adapted to be pivotally secured to the knuckles of the steering wheels; e, a ball carried by the connecting rod d, and M designates the drag link having at each endV a socket member'll adapted to receive balls c and e, as hereinafter described more in detail.

The construction ofthe drag linkfM forms an important featureof the present invention. This drag link includes a rod 12 hav-` ing at each end anabutment or rib 13 and a' projecting stud 14:'. Preferably, the rod 12 is of wrought'metal'and is constructed from a rod of like diameter throughout its length. The ribs 13 by preference are formed by swaging, this being accomplished,

if'desired, by applying apair'of 'dies-to opposite sides o f the portion to be swaged and then bringing the dies together-to head up Vthe portion between the dies. The numeral -11 designates a" socketmember preferably constructed of wrought 'metal and formed Aby stamping'out a blankgand then drawingthe same to the shape shown. 'The end wallof thissocket memberfhas an opening which closely receives' the projecting stud 1,4.; :The numeral-16 designates a reinforcing cup preferably ofv wrought metal and'formed byv stampingand drawing operations. This reinforcing cup, ywhichisfof suchl size andv shape as to ',it snugly within thefclosed end of the socket'member 11,has

or NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoE To THESTANEEY Wo-Exs, A CORPORATION.oECoNNEcTICUT. y n

an opening in itsv closed endadapted tol closely' receive the stud 1 4=. Thek socket member and the cup are-secured on the stud`V 111 by heading the `outer end ofthe latter, as. at 17;- This` headingfoperation is such that the end walls of thesocketl member and the cup are tightly clamped or jammed between the head 17 and' the shoulder l or rib 13 thereby obta'ining Y great rigidity and strength, The cup 16y is of advantage in that it reinforces the socket member, facilitates securing the latter in position on the stud'll, and the edge thereof may form a seat for a bearing member, as hereinafter described. In the side wall of the socket member is an opening-18 through which is inserted the ball c or the ball may be. ,n

The ball and socket connections at the ends of the drag link also have features of novelty and advantage. VVithinpeach of the socket members 11 is, at least, onevbearing member 20 inv theform of a concavo-convex disk engaging the ball, a spiral spring 21 e, as the case resilientlymaintaining the disk 20 against the ball, and a nut 22 threaded into the' open e end ofV the` socketmember.'l InV the arrangementonthe left-hand'end of the'draglink, the closed'end of the nut 22-and the disk 20 v form ay socket, so to speakffor the ball e,

' spiral spring 2l positionedY Within thenut 22. As herein shown, the spring'21 is formed from a strip of metal rectangular in cross section'wound into a spiral With each successive convolution part-ly Within the next preceding convolution and With the Width of the strip extending generally in the directionof the axis of the spring. A spring of this kind is of advantage in that it is extremely strong and takes up but very little space..j The nuts22 are preferably formed by drawing a piece ofsheet metal tothe shape shown, the closed end of the nut being dished so that it may form a spherical bearing` surface for a ball. 'Vhen the nut 22, is to be used as shown in the lefthand side of `ldig. 2k the kerf- 22@ is` in. the skirt of the; nut, and` When used as shown in the right-hand side the kenf2-2l is in the closedend of the nut,l saidr kerfs; being for the purpose of receiving cotter fpins 23 (shownby dotted lines. Fig.V 2) Which may be employed, tio. prevent accidental dis-placement ofthe nuts 22.,

lit is, of course, obvious that the invention is susceptible ofzvarious modifications and changes Which are Withinthespirity of the invention.. Without departing from the scope of theufollolwing claims, itbeing understood that the, present disclosure ofthe invention isby Way ofillustration only and it is not todosl taken' as restrictiveof my conception.

f l., In al drag-.link for use in automobile l' f steeringjconnections, a socket member, a; ball therein-,.abearing member for said ball, and a. spring behind said, bearing# member comprising a; stnip off metal rectangular.v in crosst section Wound into spiral; shape with each: successive convolution partly Within the preceding one and; the greatest cross sectional dimension of thestrip extending ,f generally` inthe direction of the axisof the spring.

2. In a draglink for use in automobile steering connections, a socket member, a ball thereim'a bearing memben a springresilientlymaintaining; said bearing memberI against said ball, and a nut having an externally threaded cylindrical skirt portion and a closed end; dishedto form a. sphericali bearing face; for ythe ball;

' In a ballr and socket connection, an in-Y ternalfly threaded socket member, a ball and? aV spring-therein, and a nut having an/exfter nally` threaded, cylindrical skirt"v portionv screwed into said ysocket member andg also having adishedi endf 'where-by sai-d nut` is reversible end' fon end to form an abutment fornsaid spring von a bearing surface for saidpball. i l 1 l 'Inj a dragelink'for automobile steeringy connections; ai bearing-containi-ng` member,V and bali) bearing eonslstrng ofv a piece of d'isi'red sheet metal 5.` In a drag-link for automobile steering. connections, a bearingcontaining member, and a bearing contained thereinconsisting of a piece of sheetmetal havinga dished portion to form the bearing, and' a skirt extending around the edge of saiddished. portion.

6.V In a drag-link for automobile steering connections,y a bearing-containing member', and a ball bearing consisting of a piece of dished sheet metal, and a spring adapted to, hold said bearing] against a ball.

7. In a drag-link for automobile steering connections, a bearingcontaining member, a bearing contained therein, apart consisting of ay piece` of sheet metal having a dished portion, and a ski-rtl extending around the edge of said dished portion, and a yspring adapted to hold said first mentioned bea-ringagainst'a ball', saidspring being nested Within said. skirt. Y

8. In a drag-link for automobile steering connections7 a bearing-containing member, a ball bearing consistingv of a piece of dished sheet metal, and a'vo'lute spring adapted to hold said bearing against a ball.

9. In a drag-link for automobilesteering.- connections, a. bearing-containing member, andiE a. ball bearingconsisting of-v ay piece of dished sheet metal, and a vfolute` spring ada ated to holdA said' bearing against a. ball, said spring being formed? of a strip Whose greatest crossfsectional dimension: extends generally in the direction of the axis of the spring.

l0; In a. drag-link for automobile steering= connections, the combination of' a bearingcontaining member, andL opposite bearings consistingof dished pieces of sheet metal.

1l. Ina drag-link for-automobile steering connections, the combination of a bearing containingfmember, and complement-al bear'- ings consisting of dished pieces off sheet metal, one ofl said bearings having a skirt formed aroundf its: edge.

l2. A ball crank joint, comprising a ball member and a metallic socket member haring the brain ofthe metal substantially' parallelv to its bearing face.

13. A ball crankzjoint, comprising a ball member and ametallic socket member hav ing the grain of the metal;substantia-llyparalf lel toits bearing face, said socket member having a bent-over tubularmarginal portion constituting a Aplug for tting- Within 'a socket.

14'. A ball crank joint comprising ball member and' a metallic sheet metal rsocket member, having the vgrain ofjthe metal subl s tantially parallel to-v its. bearing face;

In testimony that I claim` the foregoing, I have hereunto set my' hand this 6 day' of June, 1922'.

FRANK r; ramene; 

